Monthly Archives: September 2014

School Chaplaincy ACT met with MLA Joy Burch. The letter below shows the work that is going on in this area.

Hi there,

We are very thankful that the Federal Government has continued to support the program for 2015-2018 and Joy Burch made us very aware at our meeting on Monday of her focus on the loss of the welfare workers to the program.

We are aware as from Monday in a meeting with Joy Burch MLA that ACT will lose only 8 school positionsin the next round of funding. Therefore 47 schools that could apply to have a chaplain and receive the federal funding in the ACT across the Independent, Catholic and Government sectors.

We suggested in our meeting with Joy Burch that the ACT Government give consideration to co-fundingthe program as other states such as WA and QLD have done over the past years.

Our hope is that Joy Burch will allow the funding to come through for the 47 schools to apply and access regardless of her position re wanting the schools to have the option of a welfare worker at Federal Government expense.

Our hope is that Joy Burch will also consider providing funds to support the schools that want to be part of the program and further supplement what has proven to be a very successful program Australiawide.

Our hope is that local churches and Christians in the ACT will partner with school chaplains and provide prayer support and financial support so we are no longer fully dependent on Government funding. If Joy Burch agrees to accept the Federal Government’s return to a National School Chaplaincy Program, we have a four year window to move towards developing a sustainable school chaplaincy service in the ACT Government Schools.

The door is open, our hearts are hopeful and the opportunities are boundless.

This is the message we want to go out to our ACT local churches: Get behind your chaplains, sponsor them, pray for them, get involved as a volunteer and see students and families given a hope and a future.

Please continue to prayfor God’s favour in this matter, for strength and encouragement for our chaplains, for wisdom as we attempt to find a way forward.

I am available to meet with leadership teams, prayer teams,share in small groups or at your services as required. If you would like to find out more about how to support our chaplains in ACT schools please contact me.